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WA prison officers says strike likely soon

Prison officers in Western Australia say they expect to strike in coming days as they push to at least match a wage deal recently sealed between the state government and nurses union.

WA Prison Officers Union spokesman John Welch said members were unanimous at a meeting on Wednesday in voting to escalate industrial action.

The officers have sought a wage rise of 15.5 per cent over three years and have instead been offered nine per cent, which they say is inadequate.

They started negotiations with the state government in December, ahead of their enterprise agreement expiring on June 10.

Mr Welch said WAPOU has decided to step up its campaign after Australian Nurses Federation members extracted a 14 per cent wage rise from Premier Colin Barnett on the weekend as a "reward" for closing some hospital beds, refusing to do certain tasks and threatening to strike.

"I'm very clear that an offer of the sort that was made to the nurses would clearly resolve this matter," Mr Welch said.

"Our members are not unrealistic but they've seen what's been offered to nurses and they don't understand why prison officers can't be offered the same."

He said it was highly likely WAPOU members would strike very soon.

But Mr Barnett has ruled out making an offer before the March 9 state election, asking for "cool heads".

Mr Welch countered, saying the existing nurses agreement didn't expire until the end of June and they still got a deal.

The Liberal leader is also the target of a Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union rally on Thursday that will involve a "march to Colin's palace at parliament", referring to his new premises at the refurbished Hale House.

The CFMEU is protesting against mining and construction jobs being given to foreign workers and say mining communities are suffering from under-investment in transport, hospitals and schools.